Customs union to protest swanky exec conference in wake of job cuts

About 40 furious Customs and Immigration Union officials are on a bus to Montreal to confront Canada Border Service Agency bosses who flew to the city for meetings at a downtown hotel less than a week after the government slashed more than 1,000 rank-and-file jobs.

But what really pisses off union officials is the double standard.

While the recent cost-cutting budget called on departments to reign in travel expenses and to consider video and teleconferencing as an alternative, union president Jean-Pierre Fortin said it doesn’t seem to apply to the bosses.

We’re going to be telling them that they should be applying their own rules to themselves,” he said in an interview from the bus where he’s joined by the union’s board of directors and fellow branch presidents.

“Our members are really upset and that’s why we are going there to let them know that they are upset, that people are losing their job when they’re spending at least over $100,000 to be there.”

The union officials said they’re planning to stage a protest at the Montreal Marriott Chateau Champlain Hotel where they’ve learned executives from across the country arrived Monday for a three-day conference.

According to the union, about 1,350 jobs have been lost due to budget cuts.

I cover justice, immigration and public safety issues as part of the Postmedia News politics team. I also keep tabs on what the official Opposition — the NDP — is up to in the House of Commons.
Before... read more coming here I spent several years in Montreal and Toronto with The Canadian Press covering provincial politics and major crime and court stories. I also helped cover the war in Afghanistan from inside and outside the wire.
I previously worked for the Ottawa Sun chasing crime stories and following convicts through the court system.
I love the unpredictability of my job and believe the opportunity to help document history as it unfolds is an awesome privilege that never ceases to give me chills.
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When not working, I love playing soccer, snowboarding, hitting up a live rock/blues/soul/funk show, indulging in my favourite microbrew with friends or hanging out with my three (not so little anymore) sisters!View author's profile